Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will fit 30mm naval weapon systems to HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, given increased threats from unmanned aerial vehicles to naval vessels; and if not, why.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

There are no plans to fit a 30mm weapon system to HMS Queen Elizabeth or HMS Prince of Wales. The Queen Elizabeth Class carriers are equipped with a range of defensive systems, which along with escort vessels and wider force protection measures, provide a layered defensive system that is effective against a wide range of threats, including emerging uncrewed aerial threats.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to allow grandparents to open Junior ISAs on behalf of their grandchildren.

Answered by Lord Livermore

Individual Savings Accounts (ISA) rules are clear that only someone with parental responsibility for the child may open and manage a Junior ISA (JISA). This helps prevent more than one JISA of each type (cash or stocks and shares) being opened in error and ensures that there is a single point of contact for the giving of instructions. A grandparent who does not have parental responsibility is therefore unable to open or manage a Junior ISA on behalf of their grandchild.

While only parents or legal guardians can open a JISA on behalf of their children, grandparents can then add funds to the account, up to the value of £9,000 a year.

As with all aspects of the tax system, the Government keeps the JISA policy under review.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the discontinuation of the Franco-German plans to jointly develop a next generation fighter jet, what assessment they have made of the (1) implications, and (2) opportunities, for the UK's Global Combat Air Programme.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) has been designed with Allies and partners at its heart and interoperability at the centre of its development.

We and our GCAP partners Italy and Japan agree that the programme is in principle open to additional partners to secure burden-sharing, industrial benefits and growth opportunities, as long as programme delivery is assured. Decisions on any additional partners will be made jointly with Italy and Japan.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the revenue implications of levying Capital Gains Tax at the same rate as Income Tax; and what plans they have, if any, to equalise rates of Capital Gains Tax and Income Tax.

Answered by Lord Livermore

The Government has taken significant steps to reform Capital Gains Tax (CGT), including increasing the main rates of CGT from 10% for basic rate taxpayers and 20% for higher rate taxpayers to 18% and 24% respectively. The rates for Business Asset Disposal Relief and Investors’ Relief have also increased to 18% for disposals made on or after 6 April 2026.  This has created a simpler system by aligning rates across property and other assets.

The Government has also reduced the CGT relief available for disposals to Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) from 100% to 50%.

CGT currently raises around £14 billion a year, and receipts are expected to more than double to around £35 billion by 2030-31.

As with all taxes, the Government keeps the tax system under review, and decisions on tax policy are taken by the Chancellor at the budget.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livermore on 13 July (HL1420), whether they will now answer the question put, namely what estimate they have made of the revenue implications of levying capital gains tax at the same rate as income tax.

Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government does not comment on tax speculation outside of fiscal events. The Government keeps the tax system under review, and decisions on tax policy are taken by the Chancellor at a fiscal event.